With its new casino finally up and running, the Spokane Tribe is looking to make improvements in its gaming enterprise in Washington state.
Plans include a hotel for the Chewelah Casino, located on trust land away from the main reservation. Interested operators have until September 28 to respond to a request for proposals. “We are hoping that this will be a team effort, that we will work with the developer to provide a beautiful hotel for this area," Chairwoman Carol Evans told the city council in Chewelah at a September 5 meeting, The Chewelah Independent reported. "We know it’s needed." The hotel is part of a multi-phased plans that eventually includes a new casino, the paper reported. The Chewelah trust site -- 160 acres total -- also includes a gas station, convenience store and a recreational vehicle park, according to the RFP. Separately, the tribe will be transforming the Two Rivers Casino, a seasonal facility on the main reservation, into a multi-faceted resort. Gaming is expected to be a part of the picture, KREM reported, though plans are still in development. While the casino wasn't in operation this summer, visitors can still enjoy the recreational vehicle park, camping grounds and marina. The property is located at the confluence of the Spokane and Columbia rivers. The changes come in a big year for the tribe. In January, following more than a decade of work, the Spokane Tribe Casino debuted to large crowds. The facility is located on a satellite reservation in Airway Heights, just outside of Spokane, the largest city in eastern Washington. The tribe is planning additional developments at the site, including a hotel, cultural center, retail and commercial space. The city of Spokane is east of the reservation while Chewelah is north. Both fall within the tribe's ancestral territory.